Jurrell Casey Will Be X-Factor For Tennessee Titans In Week 7

By Taylor Sturm on October 15, 2014

The Tennessee Titans are coming off their first home win of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite a disappointing game that was only saved due to a last-second blocked field goal by Sammie Hill. The Titans will be happy to have a win over division rivals, but they must start winning or they will stand no chance of making the playoffs.

Next up for Tennessee is a 1-5 Washington Redskins team coming off of a four-game losing streak and looking to gain some confidence for the remainder of the season. The Redskins have struggled with injuries on offense all season long, which means that the Titans’ defense will have ample opportunity to take control of this game. Because the Tennessee defense is so important in Week 7, the Titans’ X-factor against Washington is defensive end Jurrell Casey.

Casey is hands down the Titans’ best overall player. The 305-pound defensive lineman is deceptively fast and continuously gets pressure on the quarterback. Although recording only four total sacks and 20 combined tackles, his pressure has led to other players getting sacks and, most importantly, quarterbacks throwing interceptions.

Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown eight interceptions this season and tends to do so when the team is playing behind. Not only do Casey and the rest of the defensive line need to pressure Cousins and force him to make bad decisions, but the Titans’ offense must get points on the board early, which will in turn force him to make even more bad decisions.

Casey may not be the only factor that leads to a Tennessee victory over Washington in Week 7, but he clearly will be the most important player on the field for the Titans on Sunday.

Taylor Sturm is a Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.